DUBAI- LIMASSOL, CYPRUS, 4th May, 2018 (WAM) -- The new cruise passenger terminal at DP World Limassol has been inaugurated by Cyprus President, Nicos Anastasiades; Minister of Transport, Communications and Works, Vassiliki Anastassiadou; the Mayor of Limassol, Nicos Nicolaides, of Cyprus, and DP World Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem.

The operational opening of the terminal was attended by almost 300 guests and will enable the largest cruise ships in the world to visit the country for the first time. It provides world-class facilities and services for passengers and features seven pods with a total floor area of 8,205 m2. The terminal is designed to facilitate both Transit (day call) and Turnaround (home porting) services. In addition, the East berth with a length of 480m and depth of 11m is able to handle the largest cruise vessels in the world.

At DP World Limassol, the terminal is separated into three principal areas; Cruise; Oil and Gas logistics zone; and Domestic/transit trade area. This allows DP World Limassol to offer additional services and operations that support the Cyprus economy.

The Oil and Gas logistics zone is 100,000 m2 with a 430m berth and has been awarded with full environmental impact assessment and relevant permits. Current occupation is at 30%, and has been used to support recent ENI’s successful Cyprus EEZ offshore drilling campaign. Exxon Mobile has also nominated DP World Limassol Oil and Gas zone as its planned drilling logistics base.

Cypriot President Anastasiades, said, "The Cyprus Government is particularly pleased for the highly experienced international and local partners, DP World who will ensure the success of Limassol Port in the coming decades. The Port of Limassol is one of the largest commercialisation projects in Cyprus to date. It serves as a model for the Republic of Cyprus and its ongoing efforts for a prosperous future as a modern centre for investment, trade and services."

Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, DP World Group Chairman and CEO, said: "Today is a celebration of the teamwork and collaboration in creating a new front door for tourists coming to Cyprus. We are proud to be part of a strategic partnership with the Government and the city of Limassol to realise this national asset, one that will help develop the growing tourism sector still further. Our aim is to be the port of choice in the Eastern Mediterranean and we want to create infrastructure that enables sustainable growth of the local economy and for Cyprus."